US4324140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronically simulated rotating prism for ultrasonic beam scanning
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
•
Filing: 1980-07-31
•
Granted: 1982-04-13
•
Expires: 2000-07-31
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus are described for electronically scanning a spherily focused beam in a c-scan mode using a spiral path rather than a traditional raster scan pattern. Essential to the technique is an electronically simulated rotating ultrasonic prism operating according to the general electrical input equation V IN =V o exp (iω o t+iA cos Ωt). The technique allows use of a single delay line with simple connections and no requirements of multiple mixing.
Inventors
- 👤 Bertram A. Auld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:44
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/34; G10K11/341; G10K11/346; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/22; G01N29/26; G01N29/262; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8965
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for electronically deflecting and rotating an ultrasonic scanning beam comprising: (a) means for generating ultrasonic energy; (b) means for transmitting electrical energy to said generating means; (c) means for delaying said electrical energy such that said transmitting means transmits electrical energy of predetermined phase to said generating means; and (d) an electrical input signal introduced as input to said delaying means, said electrical input signal having the form V.sub.IN =V.sub.o exp(iω.sub.o t+iA cos Ωt), where A is a multiplication factor dependent on the geometry of said apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for electronically deflecting and rotating an ultrasonic scanning beam comprising: (a) means for generating ultrasonic energy; (b) means for transmitting electrical energy to said generating means; (c) means for delaying said electrical energy such that said transmitting means transmits electrical energy of predetermined phase to said generating means; and (d) an electrical input signal introduced as input to said delaying means, said electrical input signal having the form V.sub.IN =V.sub.o exp(iω.sub.o t+iA cos Ωt), where A is a multiplication factor dependent on the geometry of said apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes a plurality of transducers arrayed circumferentially equally spaced on a circle having radius much greater than the radius of each of said transducers, said transducers sequentially connected to said transmitting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes: (a) an unfocused disk transducer having a top and a bottom side, said bottom side being a full face electrode; and (b) a plurality of electrodes arrayed in an equally spaced logarithmic spiral on said top side of said transducer, said electrodes being sequentially connected to said transmitting means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said full face electrode is on said top face of said disk transducer and said electrodes arrayed in said logarithmic signal are on said bottom face of said disk transducer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transmitting means is a plural array of electrical taps.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said delaying means is a single delay line having said transmitting means connected to said delay line in a predetermined spaced array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein A of said electrical input signal has the form (ω.sub.o aθ/v.sub.w) in which ω o is the carrier frequency of said input signal, a is the radius of said circle, θ is the angle through which said scanning beam is deflected and v w is the velocity of said scanning beam in water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 3 or 4 wherein A of said electrical input signal has the form ##EQU16## in which r max is the maximum radial value of the outermost of said electrodes in said spiral array, θ min is the minimum deflection angle of said scanning beam and α is less than 0.015.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2928952A
Cited
US3765403A
Cited
US3656828A
Cited
US3813140A
Cited
US3835448A
Cited
US3881802A
Cited
US4030344A
Cited
US4016750A
Cited
US4016750B1
Cited
US4084582A
Cited
US4058003A
Cited
US4058001A
Cited
US4075883A
Cited
US4267584A
Cited
US4233678A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-04-12 | 1985-10-12 | 1986-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-04-12 | 1989-10-12 | 1990-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-04-12 | 1993-10-12 | 1994-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |